Steelers QB Mitchell Trubisky
Including Trubisky on this list, well, is not exactly rocket science. Trubisky, whether you like it or not, has a lot to prove, primarily that he deserves to be an NFL starter. Some feel he is just a bridge quarterback others think he is the best thing since sliced bread. Did we see the real Mitch Trubisky when he played for the Bears or was he a product of his environment? Can a quarterback suddenly improve after sitting on the bench for a year behind Josh Allen?
In fairness, the Steelers are the Bears between 2017 and 2020. The Steelers have a better coach than the Bears and will utilize him much better than Chicago did. Thus, if Trubiskey can succeed anywhere, it’s in Pittsburgh.
However, this is not your normal Steelers team winning 8-12 games a season; at least, those days are over for now. The Steelers are, at best, a 9-8 team heading into 2022; winning nine would prove a serious struggle.
If Trubisky excels, then conceivably, he plays at least two seasons in Pittsburgh. If he struggles and the Steelers are out of playoff contention by December, it won’t take long for fans to start screaming Kenny Pickett. It would only make sense if Trubisky struggles all season, then they replace him with their number one draft choice to allow Pickett to get experience for 2023 while Trubisky becomes the next Tommy Maddox.
However, the only scenario in which the Steelers have a losing season that does not put Trubisky on the hot seat is if he gets injured early and Kenny Pickett takes over and loses most of his games. Then Trubisky gets another shot in 2023.